On Media

Rush Limbaugh praises ABC's Jake Tapper

By KEVIN CIRILLI

12/19/2012 04:58 PM EST

Rush Limbaugh praised ABC News White House correspondent Jake Tapper today for his questioning of President Barack Obama on gun control policy in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.

“At Obama's press conference today, Jake Tapper got the last question, and The One did not like it,” Limbaugh said on his program, according to the transcript. “You talk about a guy that can't deal with criticism? By the way, it's our president who I don't think could live a day in my shoes, actually, but I can't even say that. That sounds like I'm complaining, and I'm not. Anyway, Jake Tapper basically said, ‘Look, you've been talking about doing something on guns for four years and you haven't done diddly-squat. Why not?’”

At today’s White House press briefing, Tapper asked: “This is not the first incident of horrific gun violence of your four years. Where have you been?”

A testy Obama replied: “Well, here's where I've been, Jake. Uh, I've been president of the United States dealing with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, an auto industry on the verge of collapse, two wars. I don't think I've been on vacation. And, so, you know, I think all of us have to do some reflection on how we prioritize, um, what we do here in Washington.”

Usually a harsh critic of mainstream media, Limbaugh said that Tapper might even be criticized by his bosses at ABC for calling the president out.

“Most presidents get questions like this 25 times a day,” Limbaugh said, according to the transcript. “I guarantee you, Jacob Tapper is in some crosshairs now for this insolence and this disrespect. There might even be a phone call from the White House to ABC today, say, ‘What the hell was that?" And the purpose of that phone call will be to make sure that kind of question is never asked again. You don't ask dictators... uh... presidents, questions like that. Disrespect.’”